I'm looking for ideas for easy and quick foods.. I work 12 hr shifts and when I get home I'm tired and don't feel like fixing a big meal for me and my husband, is there anything out there that I could pop in the microwave to fix? that doesn't have rice or Pasta in them, I've tried just like frying hamburger and eating that but it gets boring, I'm 4 months out from surgery,

I'm looking for ideas for easy and quick foods.. I work 12 hr shifts and when I get home I'm tired and don't feel like fixing a big meal for me and my husband, is there anything out there that I could pop in the microwave to fix? that doesn't have rice or Pasta in them, I've tried just like frying hamburger and eating that but it gets boring, I'm 4 months out from surgery,

Use a crockpot put in chicken breast, 2 cans cream of chicken Soup, 2 cans chedder soup cook on low for 6 hrs. Really good with mashed potatoes.

I love to cook but am short on time and ambition after work. My routine is to plan a menu for 4 days then go to the grocery store on Saturday. I prep four meals on sunday so when I get home we either heat it up or putting it together goes really fast. Some of the dishes I prep are grilled chicken for tacos. I season the meat, marinate it , grill it, then slice or dice it. dinner time comes I heat it up, serve it with low fat cheese, avocado hot sauce. My family loves sloppy joe, so every couple of week I make a few pounds with ground turkey. I eat it without a bun. Soups are great for the winter and can be low fat and a good way to use left over meat. To get your Protein with broth based soup add Protein powder. French onion is a hit as is chicken noodle, use your left over chicken from tacos. Kraft has a good line of really easy slow cooker mixes. The pork and beef are very good. They call for fattier cuts of meat but I trim it the best I can before cooking and then remove extra fat as I shred the meat to eat. It is good in sandwiches, then put the leftovers over whole grain noodles, brown rice, or with quinoa. You may be tired of eggs, but I still love an egg beater omelet with cheese, ham and salsa for dinner. Pre portioned fish from costco or Sams club is good. If you take a couple packages out before work and put then in the fridge, they should be thawed or close to it when you get home. I like to broil it so when I get home I turn on the oven broiler, rub the fish with a little olive oil, and the season it. I love Cajun seasoning. Put it 4-5 inches from the broiler. By the time I change my clothes from work and get any side dish heated up it is perfect, takes just about 10 minutes.

chili is quick!

• Pre-cooked/grilled chicken strips are easy to add to anything.
• I usually have pre-cut fresh vegetables around, easier to just throw in a dish.
• Stir-frys are very easy - toss in the cut up vegs and meat or tofu with some vegetable oil. After cooking on high heat add some soy sauce (stay away from sugary teriyaki sauces).
• I have canned Beans on hand - easy to make chili or Indian chana (chickpea dish)
• Lentils cook relatively quickly - throw a bag in a pot with 8 cups of Water, carrot, celery and bay leaf. Good for crockpots, too.
• Ham steaks cook up fast, just pan fry or broil with thyme sprinkled on top. Add some microwaved broccoli or green beans on the side.
• Spaghetti squash (just nuke it then scoop it out with a fork), add Pasta sauce (lower carb/lower calorie brand - read the labels - some are very high!) Add some precooked turkey meatballs (in your freezer section) and parmesan cheese. Fast and very tasty.

Personally, I mostly stay away from cream soups when trying to lose weight (except when I was doing liquids). Lots of calories and not much nutrition. Just my opinion.

I make a huge pot of chili and freeze it in bags - just pull one out in the morning and it's thawed.

I also bake a lot of chicken breasts - prep time is minimal and it takes about 45 to cook.

Buy steaks in bulk - season them, then freeze. Pull out the day before or that morning and they'll be ready to cook when you get home.

For sides - since I don't eat a lot, I do frozen veggies or maybe roast some cauliflower or broccoli. On a rare occasion, bake a potato and have a couple of bites.

I use Sundays as my prep day - I get ready for the week.

Shelton's (gluten free) turkey meatballs come frozen. A serving size is 6 meatballs, I can manage 3. Good Protein, yummy, cooks in a minute or 2 in the microwave. Combine with Pasta and sauce for your husband. Poof! Easy dinner.

• Pre-cooked/grilled chicken strips are easy to add to anything.
• I usually have pre-cut fresh vegetables around, easier to just throw in a dish.
• Stir-frys are very easy - toss in the cut up vegs and meat or tofu with some vegetable oil. After cooking on high heat add some soy sauce (stay away from sugary teriyaki sauces).
• I have canned Beans on hand - easy to make chili or Indian chana (chickpea dish)
• Lentils cook relatively quickly - throw a bag in a pot with 8 cups of Water, carrot, celery and bay leaf. Good for crockpots, too.
• Ham steaks cook up fast, just pan fry or broil with thyme sprinkled on top. Add some microwaved broccoli or green beans on the side.
• Spaghetti squash (just nuke it then scoop it out with a fork), add Pasta sauce (lower carb/lower calorie brand - read the labels - some are very high!) Add some precooked turkey meatballs (in your freezer section) and parmesan cheese. Fast and very tasty.

Personally, I mostly stay away from cream soups when trying to lose weight (except when I was doing liquids). Lots of calories and not much nutrition. Just my opinion.

what brand of precooked chicken strips? I have purchased a few and they taste so rubbery and just yucky. Any suggestions?

Smoked salmon, broiled fish of any kind. I would sure steer clear of the chicken and cheese soups with mashed potatoes. We like frozen Aidelles Chicken Meatballs with Caramellized Onion (3 meatballs = 130 cals, 3 g. carbs, 9 g. fat, 10 g. protein, 2 g. sugar). Very good taste. Refried beans are a staple. You can add them to a soup made with FF chicken broth and vegetables. Thank goodness I love beans also, of any kind. They make a good meatless dinner.

I'm thinking it was Tyson grilled chicken breasts. They have them in both the fridge and freezer sections at the store...

Edited February 12, 201412 yr by NMJG

Have you ever tried spaghetti squash in place of pasta. So yummy! Turkey Italian sausage cooked up with Marinara sauce. I portion both out and put in containers to freeze. Stick one in the fridge in the morning and is thawed for heating that night.

I like to mix ground turkey with egg white, liquid smoke, organic no sugar que sauce, garlic & onion powder, parmesan cheese and make 3 oz patties( or what ever oz. you're at) and fry up and finish off braising in low sodium chicken broth. They are so tender and moist. Wrap up in suran wrap and put in freezer bags. Easy that and heat.

I like to have a batch of baked beans i make myself for a side with my meat protein. I get a can of white beans and add my no sugar organic bar b que sauce to it, some ground ginger, liquid smoke and a smidge of splenda brown sugar. Then add thin sliced green onion in it. This keeps well in the fridge for a few weeks. The meat i wrap up individually and put in freezer bags and in the freezer for a quick grab.

I like to mix up a can of tuna, cottage cheese, diced boiled egg with low fat mayo till moist and keep in the fridge. Great by itself and a great dip for fried cheese chips i make.

Fried cheese is easy to make in a non stick egg pan. grate your cheese and simply put a half cup in the pan and let it fry up. turn when golden brown on both sides and let drain on paper towel. Break off in pieces and keep in air tight container. Keeps for a few weeks.

I like to make a flax meal parmesan sandwich roll and a flax meal muffin in a minute (If you want, request recipe) and cut up in cube size and freeze. The muffin is great with peanut butter on it and the parmesan is great for sandwiches or grilled to go with cream soup. flax is so heart health as well.

These are all easy grabs and take with you's.

thanks

Didn't read all of the replies but here is one I LOVE!!

Just shrimp in a sauté pan with some spaghetti sauce with broccoli and spinach.

I make up a bunch for the week and heat as needed

My quick " go to" meal is eggs ( scrambled or sunny side up) topped with tomatoes or avocado with a side of chicken sausage. Quick , easy and full of protein.

Have you ever tried spaghetti squash in place of Pasta. So yummy! Turkey Italian sausage cooked up with Marinara sauce. I portion both out and put in containers to freeze. Stick one in the fridge in the morning and is thawed for heating that night.

I like to mix ground turkey with egg white, liquid smoke, organic no sugar que sauce, garlic & onion powder, parmesan cheese and make 3 oz patties( or what ever oz. you're at) and fry up and finish off braising in low sodium chicken broth. They are so tender and moist. Wrap up in suran wrap and put in freezer bags. Easy that and heat.

I like to have a batch of baked Beans i make myself for a side with my meat Protein. I get a can of white beans and add my no sugar organic bar b que sauce to it, some ground ginger, liquid smoke and a smidge of splenda brown sugar. Then add thin sliced green onion in it. This keeps well in the fridge for a few weeks. The meat i wrap up individually and put in freezer bags and in the freezer for a quick grab.

I like to mix up a can of tuna, cottage cheese, diced boiled egg with low fat mayo till moist and keep in the fridge. Great by itself and a great dip for fried cheese chips i make.

Fried cheese is easy to make in a non stick egg pan. grate your cheese and simply put a half cup in the pan and let it fry up. turn when golden brown on both sides and let drain on paper towel. Break off in pieces and keep in air tight container. Keeps for a few weeks.

I like to make a flax meal parmesan sandwich roll and a flax meal muffin in a minute (If you want, request recipe) and cut up in cube size and freeze. The muffin is great with Peanut Butter on it and the parmesan is great for sandwiches or grilled to go with cream soup. flax is so heart health as well.

These are all easy grabs and take with you's.

I wish I could just copy this and try it all.. but so much of what you say above I do not understand. Like "cheese" that you fry..in not stick pan??? what kind of cheese is this.. Also what is liquied smoke." I never heard of it.. I would love to know more about these muffins...I put flax seed meal in my Protein shakes... but if you can tell me from the beginning. about the "muffins".. i WOULD like to try them. but I need it explained in detail.. and slower... from the beginning.

I wish you well on this journey.. my new email is "biddiemom12@gmail.com" if you just want to write it to me. not sure how to change my email on here, and have not gotten any help with it. I think I have to reregister... Thanks JewelJ

I like doing foil packets on the grill. I get a piece of foil, but a little "I can't believe it's not butter" down, then I put chicken breast, veggies, steaks, fish, pieces of sweet potato, anything you like. Then I just add a little bit of Mrs Dash (low sodium) or just a little bit of pepper and sea salt. Once you have your goodies in the foil, fold it up so nothing leaks out. Cook it on low, flipping a few times until the meat is done. You could also do this with the Tyson grilled chicken breast strips and frozen veggies, it just won't take as long. One thing I have been doing, when I cook meat for myself, I always cook extra, then I put it in a freezer bag and freeze it. That way you're one step ahead for the next meal. When I go out to eat I order a big salad with the dressing on the side and ask for a small plate. I'll get the rest to go and it will end up being at least 3 or more meals for myself. One thing I have found since surgery, I'm planning ahead with every meal, trying to come up with creative ways to make food.